The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-01-28

In the year 1843, Mr.. Seth Doan, one
of Kenosha's most successful merchants,
leaving the old homested in Cleveland,
Ohio, and followed by the blessings and
good wishes Of family and friends, start
ed for what was then called the far West.
Arriving at what was then the village of
Southport, he began looking about him
for business, and finally opened a dry
goods and grocery store on Market
street. Here he remained one year,
and in 1874 moved into a store on the
ground where Simmons Block now
stands, he occupying one side of the
store in his line, and Mr.. Hiram Alden
the other as hardware store. While
located here, Mr.. 2. G. Simmons, then a
young man, was taken into Mr.. Doan's
service. 1t was during this term of SER
vice that Mr.. Simmons performed that
wonderful race to catch steer that he
had taken in payment Of a debt due Mr..
Doan. About two years after locating
here, Mr.. Alden died, his business was
closed up, and Mr.. Doan occupied the
entire store until 1850. Leaving his
business in the care of his clerks, Mr..
Doan started for New York, but On the
way was taken down with inhammatory
rheumatism and was compelled to re-
turn. Finding himself unable to attend
to the business himself, he sold out to
Simmons & Son. For year and a half
he was on the sick list. but in 1851 was
again ready for business and entered in
to partnership with Mr.. Nathan Hawley
The firm of Doan & Hawley opened a
dry goods store at the point now occu-
pied by R. 0. Gottfredsen, where they
remained until 1856. At that time,
finding the quarters occupied by them
too small for their growing business,
Doan & Hawley moved their stock into
a store under the Runals' House, which
stood where the Grant House is now.
In 1858, in consequence of Mr.. Hawley's
failing health, the business was closed
up, and complete settlements made /;
but in 1860 Messrs. Doan & Hawley re-
opened in the dry goods line in the store
at the south end of Kimball Block. In
1867 Mr. Hawley's health breaking down
completely, he retired from business,
and Mr.. Doan continued the business
at the same place until 1870. About
that time Mr.. Doan built the corner
building now occupied by Doan & Brown,
moved in and continued his successful
business for eight years. In 1873, Mr..
Doan took his son-in law, Mr.. Chas. G.
Brown, into partnership with him, and
the new firm associated with them Mr.:
John Schmitz as superintendent of the
tailoring department and the firm of
Doan & Brown have carried ON the bust,
ness up to the present time. Doan &
Brown do very large business in dry
goods, carpetings and merchant tailor
ing. Their store is 25x110 feet, and in
1885 the entire inside arrangement was
remodeled., Modern low tiers of deep
shelving replaced the old style of high,
narrow kind. At the same time, a full
set of large plate glass windows were set
in all along the side of the building, and
they have now a very commodiously
arranged and the best lighted store in
the city, and as we'll lighted as any store
in the state. Mr.. Doan's progress in
business has always been forward, which
was secured by untiring attention to
business. Mr.. Brown, though younger
in years, is manifesting those sterling
qualities which give promise of assured
business success. Commencing with
1S43, the business now carried on by
Doan & Brown is the oldest dry goods
house in the city, and probably the old
est in the state. Judging of the future
by the past, the business of Doan &
Brown seems destined to continue and
increase for many years TO come.
WILLIAM FISHER.
Mr.. William Fisher is one our most
prominent merchants, besides being
native and to the manor born" I'm
til the age of IL he worked on his fathers
farm in this county, where he acquired
those qualities of push and industry
which enabled him to leave behind him
many of his competitors, and place him.
self by the side of those counted as
among the foremost business men of this
part of the state.
In 1866 Mr.. Fisher left the farm, and,
going TO Racine, took clerkship in the
store then kept by George Thelen, where
he remained something over year,
then returned to the farm for nearly al
year, but still with an eye to the main
chance. In 1867 he entered the dry
goods store of Seth Doan, then located
in Kimball Block. By close attention to
his duties, Mr.. Fisher acquired gener-
al and useful knowledge of the business
and made for himself reputation that
stood well by him in after years. Many
were the customers who would call for
Williams he was familiarly known
when they were trading at Doan's. In
1877 Mr.. Fisher went to Chicago and
served as general salesman for year in
the extensive establishment of Field, |
Letter & Co., where, by close observa-
ton, he learned the true inwardness oil
the dry good business. Returning to |
Kenosha in 1878 he went into partner
ship with Messrs. Philip Lentz and
Maurice Funck in dry goods and grocer.